A natural and healthy juice.
The present invention concerns a new and tasty drink composed by the mixing of exclusive natural ingredients (fruit juices, vegetable juices. marine extracts, yeast, glycyrrhiza. wheat germ, non alcoholic wine concentrates, condiments etc) which supply the consumer with all the necessary food elements (vitamins, inorganic salts, trace compounds, fibres e.t.c.) for healthy nutrition according to the latest scientific results. Refreshments, soups and sauces that consist of either squeezed fruit or vegetables or juices enriched in vitamins and other synthetic substances are encountered in the market. Dehydrates or concentrates of the above can also be found.
With reference to the recent alimentation rules and scientific conclusions, these products do not contain but a part of the necessary constituents for a balanced nutrition. All the more. these products cannot be called natural since they contain synthetic vitamins.
Healthy food supplements can also be found in the form of tablets (e.g. vitamins, trace elements, yeast e.t.c).
It is known that substances as vitamins, inorganic salts and other trace elements are necessary for the regular functioning of the human organism. Late medical research has proved that the above substances have a much larger contribution to good health than thought till now. mainly for the prevention of heart diseases and cancer.
Recent year researches nave shown that vitamins as E. C, carotene (precursor of vitamin A). trace elements as selenium and compounds as flavonoids have an antioxidant activity. The antioxidant compounds deactivate the free radicals which are formed either naturally by a category of catabolizing cells, the phagocytes, or by the action of industrial pollutants. smoking and the use of highly
unsaturated fats. Among the results of the free radical's action is the death of the cells and gradually of the tissues (Davies S.W. et. al. (1992). Br. Heart J., 69, 114-120) as well as the oxidation of blood factors as LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) which, in the oxidized form, promotes the development of atherogenesis in arteries and leads to heart diseases. (Ross R., (1993), Nature. 363.801- 809).
The uptake of vitamins E. C and 6-carotene (precursor of vitamin A) through nutrition, as a preventive means against heart diseases. is well documented by recent research (Witztum J.L. 1993. Br. Heart J. 69 S12-S18). Vitamin E is the main factor of the defensive system against oxidations, that may have harmful effects. It can be taken from the wheat germ which in particularly rich in this vitamin. In this defensive system vitamin E is assisted by vitamin C which is abundant in citrus fruit and selenium that acts as a coenzyme factor and is found among others in crustacean like oysters. (Hoekstra W.G.. (1974). Trace Elements Metabolism in Animals. 2, Proceedings of the second International Symposium. University Park Press, Baltimore. Md, 61-77).
Other researches suggest that wine, particularly red wine. has a protective profile against heart diseases. Responsible for this action are the flavonoids that also have antioxidant properties (Klatsky et al. (1992), Ann. Inter .Med.. T12 , 646).
It has also been settled that antioxidant substances contribute to the protection against cancer (Iwasaki R., (1992), Fragrance J., 20(5), 93-95 and Yoshkawa T.. (1992), Fragrance J.. 20 (5). 55-58). Glycyrrhizine - the main water soluble const i tuent of g l ycy r rh i za ( or l i cor i ce ) - has a l so anticancerigenic properties (Mashida H., (1990), Jpn. J. EXP. Med.. 60 (2). 67-71 and Tanaka M., (1991), Kyoto-furitsu Ika Dalgaku Zasshi. 100 (12). 1139-1146. Its use as a sweetener is known since antiquity.
It has been postulated that, due to cholesterol reduction in blood. soluble fibres develop a protective profile against heart diseases. They also show anti-colon cancerigemc properties (National Research Council, (1989). Diet and Health: Implications for reducing chronic disease risk, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.).
Another important substance is Taurine which is obtained mainly from oysters. Its action focuses upon membrane protection through the binding of toxic compounds like oxidants and secondary cholic acids (Gaul G.E., Wright C.E., (1986), Energy and Protein Needs during infancy, Bristol-Myers Nutrition Symposia, 4, 87-97).
Moreover the importance of the nutrient availability of the above substances needs to be mentioned. With the term "nutrient availability" one defines the percentage of a certain food ingredient that is absorbed and metabolized by the organism. The natural vitamins are absorbed at a lower rate compared to the synthetic ones, thus showing a higher availability. For this reason yeast remains a very attractive means of highly available vitamins and trace elements (especially the B-complex) (Vinson J.A.. Bose P.,Lemoιne L., Hsiao K. (1989). Nutrient availability: Chemical and Biological aspects, Ed. Southgate D.. Johnson I., Fewwick G.R., 125)
This new product is made up by the mixing of exclusively natural substances that offer the consumer. in a supplementary fashion, all the important constituents of a balanced diet. (Vitamins. minerals, trace elements and soluble fibres), Up to date no such composition has been presented: that is one containing a such exclusive combination of natural ingredients: fruit juices, vegetable juices. marine extracts, licorice, yeast, wheat germ and wine concentrates. It is practically impossible for an average consumer to find and acquire all these nutrients together, not only due to commercial availability drawbacks but also due to a certain lack of specific knowledge. Last but not least, the uptake of these substances independently
(through various food) would forcibly be accompanied by a higher than usual calorie consumption responsible for all the known and harmful side effects (obesity, alatosis, etc).
It is obvious from the description of this patent that the natural extracts, which are contained in the present product, are constituents that are hard to find and do not exist in a wide range.
The product which is described here is presented under the form of a tasty drink.
This drink is a' mixture of the following ingredients or of a part of them. This is not restrictive or limiting:
- tomato juice from 30% to 70%
- carrot juice from 10% to 50%
- citrus fruit juice (orange etc) from 5% to 30%
- other fruit juices ( peach. grape, apricot, red fruit like strawberry, gooseberry etc) from 10% to 30%
- beetroot juice from 2% to 8%
- lettuce juice from 1% to 8%
- spinach juice from 0.2% to 2%
- celery juice from 0.2% to 1%
- non alcoholic red wine concentrate from 2% to 10%
- oyster extract from 0.2% to 5%
- glycyrrhiza extract or glycyrrhizine from 0.02% to 1% - yeast extract from 0.2% to 1%
- low temperature pressed wheat germ oil from 0.05% to
0.1%
- pectine from citrus fruit from 0.01% to 1%
- rosemary antioxidant extract (after the removal of the essential oils) from 0.02% to 0.1%
- spices (salt, pepper, ginger).
The above combination or ingredients, per 100 ml of juice offers the consumer
- provitamin A (carotene) from 5500ug up to 8500ug.
- vitamin A (retinol) from 50ug up to 65μg.
- vitamin E (tocopherol) from 70mg up to 10mg.
- vitamin C (ascorbic acid) from 30mg up to 60mg,
- trace elements (chronium from 150μg up to 3065μg,
iodine from 1μg up to 10μg,
fluorine from 0.1mg up to 0.4mg, manganese from 3mg up to 5mg,
selenium from 3μg up to 5μg,
potassium from 450mg up to 550mg, sodium from 80mg up to 95mg,
magnesium from 40mg up to 60mg.
calcium from 50mg up to 80mg,
iron from 1mg up to 3mg,
phosphorus from 80mg up to 100mg, zinc from 0.5mg up to 1mg). - soluble fibres from 1g up to 2g,
- flavonoids in traces.
- glycyrrhizine from 2mg up to 10mg,
- taurine from 10mg up to 30mg. The juices to be used for this product are either frozen natural or condensed, on condition that they fulfil all the dietetic and organoleptic requirements.
EXAMPLE
Example of preparation of 100gr of the product described in the present invention. by mixing of the following ingredients:
TABLE I: Composition of 100 gr of the product (the ingredients are expressed in gr)
- tomato juice 47
- carrot juice 27
- orange juice 13
- beetroot juice 3
- celery juice 0.45
- lettuce juice 3
- spinach juice 0.80
- oyster extract 0.40
- yeast extract 0.40
- glycyrrhiza extract 0.02
- non alcoholic red wine concentrate 4
- low temperature pressed wheat germ oil 0.05
- rosemary antioxidant 0.02
(after the removal of essential oils)
- salt 0.80
- white pepper 0.03
- ginger 0.03
TABLE II: The Product with the above composition (TABLE I) contains the following dietetic constituents, per 100 ml.
- provitamin A (carotene) 7138 μg - vitamin A (retinol) 56.5 μg
- vitamin E (tocopherol) 10 mg
- vitamin C (ascorbic acid 42 mg
- trace elements (chromium 14 μg
iodine 3 μg fluorine 0.2 mg manganese 5 mg selenium 4 μg potassium 525 mg sodium 95 mg magnesium 43 mg calcium 60 mg iron 1.5 mg phosphorus 87 mg zinc 0.6 mg - fibres 1.3 g
- flavonoids traces
- glycyrrhizine 2.6 mg
- taurine 17.5 mg